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Originally submitted September 9, 2007 for ENGL 1310 @ Dallas Christian College. Emphasis added for website, copyright follows guidelines at bottom of the right sidebar.

There exists an odd phenomenon between American Football (hereafter referred to as “football”) fans and World Football (henceforth “soccer”) fans: Both feel their style of football is more the “real” sport, and both fail to realize that the sports share common roots. The inventor of American football, Walter Camp, was strongly influenced by William Ebb Ellis who commonly is credited with creating Rugby, a sport birthed directly from soccer (Bellis). Which fans, then, have a stronger argument for their beloved sport?

While most fans understand the differences of how the game is played, there are a few commonalities that are often overlooked. Both sports require eleven men on the field at all times with one team attempting to advance the ball beyond the defending team’s goal line. Both games allow for points to be scored by kicking the ball past the goal line and in between two goal posts.  Beyond these factors, the likenesses come to a screeching halt. Rather than discussing the commonly understood disparities in the rules, let us instead contrast the concepts and results of the games of each sport.

Football is generally known for its high-scoring games, while soccer competitions are often played to nil-nil (0-0) draws. At first glance, football is seen as the more exciting sport because the numbers on the scoreboards regularly reach the twenties and thirties for both teams involved. However, the blowout is far more common in football than it is in soccer. The majority of sports fans would rather see a competitive game from start to finish rather than the game that is as good as done by halftime. Another point to consider concerning football scores is the inclusion of the field goal, which allows teams to put points on the board without fully completing a successful drive (touchdown). Soccer does not have an equivalent play. And while a touchdown in football is worth seven points, a goal in soccer is worth only one. A soccer game ending with a score of 3-2 is, at the very least, equivalent to a 21-14 final in football. The gap in scoring between the two sports is a valid argument for American Football, but it is a gap that is not nearly as wide as believed.

This equals out to a grand total somewhere between twelve and seventeen minutes of live football action per game

A common complaint against soccer by the average American football fan may sound something similar to “soccer is boring because nothing ever happens. They just kick the ball back and forth.” Yet the average football play takes six to eight seconds and each four-quarter game includes around 125 plays between the two teams. This equals out to a grand total somewhere between twelve and seventeen minutes of live football action per game. Soccer, on the other hand, is truly non-stop action with no commercial breaks during the halves, no timeouts, and only three substitutions allowed per team per game.

The six seconds of action do have an element that is missing in soccer: amazing individual athletic feats. There is little in the sports world that is more exciting than watching a great athletic catch or a running back juking, spinning, and diving his way past defenders. While soccer players are incredible athletes and are more conditioned than nearly every other type of athlete, their moves on the field are more about finesse and control. Along the same lines, football is more about reaction while soccer is more about precision and thought. The mind game of soccer has its appeal, but there is a strong attraction in watching the response-based plays of football that soccer tends to lack.

I have found both sports to be highly entertaining, and I have no problem with the product on the field. However, when we move beyond the game and into the external factors surrounding the sports, we will find the determining factors for why I defend soccer over football. Football, like most American based sports, has morphed into a product that feeds our narcissistic culture. The media idolizes individual accomplishments and downplays teamwork. It is true that football is a team sport which requires all pieces working together, but we often find ourselves belittling the importance of many position players. It is not uncommon to see punters and kickers ostracized from their teammates, and most fans would struggle to name their own team’s offensive line.

Soccer, on the other hand, is widely accepted as the ultimate team sport in which all eleven players must play as a unit, none taking more credit or responsibility than another. This is not to say that the individuals within soccer are not praised or put on a pedestal, but each position is recognized as equally important. Some of the greatest players in soccer rarely score; they instead use their abilities as set-up men in the midfield or defenders aiding their goalies.  Selflessness is more highly regarded in soccer than it is within any other major sport in America.

The debate between football fans and soccer fans will never cease, yet I highly doubt soccer will ever come close to drawing as many fans in America as football does. I, for one, will continue to enjoy both sports as entertainment. However, as a parent and an individual who is growing tired of the narcissism in our culture, the unselfish play surrounding soccer has won my respect… and effectively emptied my wallet.

Works ConsultedBellis, Mary. “History of Football.” About.com:Inventors. 9 Sept 2007. <http://inventors.about.com/od/fstartinventions/a/HistoryFootball.htm>.“Football.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 9 Sept 2007. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_football>.

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